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Half dead bird! Swallow ptarmigan (re model...page 7 on)
- Thread starter Tootyred
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Re: Found a half dead bird!
So. The plot thickens.
Being impatient, i decided to pop the wheels in this morning.....you know.....just to have a quick look......
Well, once in i started to look at it a realised, it looked a bit strange. So i started measuring the frame.
It turns out its possibly not a 21" mountain bike! It may be a medium sized all road ( i think they call it adventure bike now in modern parlance) touring bike given its dimensions!
The frame is as follows...
54 seat tube c to t
450 chain stays......the give away
180 head tube
1095 wheel base with a relaxed fork rake.
540 top tube c to c ( bit short given the seat tube and head)
It was obviously designed for somebody medium height ( taking the reach it has and the original 50mm stem) and it could easily accomodate panniers and have been designed with stability in mind given the rear chain stays.
So its either going to be an interesting ride with 150+ stem as a mtb or its going to have to be a mega trendy " adventure bike" for my partner, who is 6" shorter them me!
Is slight ironic as this is exactly the same thing that happened after a got a 21" orange prestige.....only to find the head was far too short for me.........oh well......lets see after the build!
So. The plot thickens.
Being impatient, i decided to pop the wheels in this morning.....you know.....just to have a quick look......
Well, once in i started to look at it a realised, it looked a bit strange. So i started measuring the frame.
It turns out its possibly not a 21" mountain bike! It may be a medium sized all road ( i think they call it adventure bike now in modern parlance) touring bike given its dimensions!
The frame is as follows...
54 seat tube c to t
450 chain stays......the give away
180 head tube
1095 wheel base with a relaxed fork rake.
540 top tube c to c ( bit short given the seat tube and head)
It was obviously designed for somebody medium height ( taking the reach it has and the original 50mm stem) and it could easily accomodate panniers and have been designed with stability in mind given the rear chain stays.
So its either going to be an interesting ride with 150+ stem as a mtb or its going to have to be a mega trendy " adventure bike" for my partner, who is 6" shorter them me!
Is slight ironic as this is exactly the same thing that happened after a got a 21" orange prestige.....only to find the head was far too short for me.........oh well......lets see after the build!
Re: Found a half dead bird! Swallow ptarmigan
Decals turned up this week ( cheers Adam...virtual pints on their way). Basically i designed them from the little source material on the net, along with a bit of inspiration from swallows website. Fortunately, the font is still available, which made things much easier. Swallow no longer use this style.
I hate putting decals on! Sadly the type that adam makes dont do water " slip and slide" so its line it up, hope it right, go for it. He did give me extras! Gladly it all went ok.
So here they are.... wanted to try to keep it fairy minimal and classic looking.
I put the front u brake on as i wanted to make sure it looked ok with the position of the 531 decal on the forks.
Next it time for some components!
Decals turned up this week ( cheers Adam...virtual pints on their way). Basically i designed them from the little source material on the net, along with a bit of inspiration from swallows website. Fortunately, the font is still available, which made things much easier. Swallow no longer use this style.
I hate putting decals on! Sadly the type that adam makes dont do water " slip and slide" so its line it up, hope it right, go for it. He did give me extras! Gladly it all went ok.
So here they are.... wanted to try to keep it fairy minimal and classic looking.
I put the front u brake on as i wanted to make sure it looked ok with the position of the 531 decal on the forks.
Next it time for some components!
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Re: Found a half dead bird! Swallow ptarmigan
Got any better pics ... full frontal showing the whole rather than just snippets
Got any better pics ... full frontal showing the whole rather than just snippets
Re: Found a half dead bird! Swallow ptarmigan
Today is a polishing day. Black face and hands, love it. Even with a p3 mask it still seems to get in!
When i realised this build was in the offing, i started a search for a donor for the groupset for it. Luckly a dawes quest came up locally with full m732 xt on it.
Before the dawes lover scream " heretic " and start baying for blood, you will be glad to know that the frame, stem, bars, post etc all went to a " dawes lover" in Scotland who built a period touring bike from it.......so all is well and the bike "gave of its life so other may live"......nice Christmas sentiment somewhere there!
Whist the bits were in good shape ( used as a commuter) it appeared that the only maintenance was oil......lots of it....mixed with dirt....then more on top.....for 30 years!
After completly stripping, dissembling and degreasing the parts, they were polished......much as per the way outlined in the restoration tips.....and re assembled.
Heres the results.
I think the moral is "time and effort overcomes most goo". Also given the ( frankly ridiculous) price of parts now, im happy putting in the time to save the cash.
But hey thats a whole other nother thread.....or 9!
Today is a polishing day. Black face and hands, love it. Even with a p3 mask it still seems to get in!
When i realised this build was in the offing, i started a search for a donor for the groupset for it. Luckly a dawes quest came up locally with full m732 xt on it.
Before the dawes lover scream " heretic " and start baying for blood, you will be glad to know that the frame, stem, bars, post etc all went to a " dawes lover" in Scotland who built a period touring bike from it.......so all is well and the bike "gave of its life so other may live"......nice Christmas sentiment somewhere there!
Whist the bits were in good shape ( used as a commuter) it appeared that the only maintenance was oil......lots of it....mixed with dirt....then more on top.....for 30 years!
After completly stripping, dissembling and degreasing the parts, they were polished......much as per the way outlined in the restoration tips.....and re assembled.
Heres the results.
I think the moral is "time and effort overcomes most goo". Also given the ( frankly ridiculous) price of parts now, im happy putting in the time to save the cash.
But hey thats a whole other nother thread.....or 9!
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Re: Half dead bird! Swallow ptarmigan build
Quality workmanship there ^
Quality workmanship there ^
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